We often refer to athletes as “larger-than-life,” but for Olivier Rioux, the expression takes on a very real meaning. On a Wednesday night that will go down in the annals of NCAA achievement, the 19-year-old Canadian freshman didn’t just play a game; he was such an epochal domination. At a towering 7’9″, Rioux became the tallest player to record basket in collegiate basketball history.
The moment came in the Florida Gators 102-61 drubbing of Saint Francis. With the clock ticking down, the crowd in Gainesville erupted with a rhythmic chant of “We want Ollie!” When Coach Todd Golden gave him the okay to check in, it turned an ordinary blowout into a historic day in the arena.
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A Dunk for the Age
For nearly all of us, in fact, a dunk is a jump higher than gravity should allow. For Olivier Rioux, it’s more of a layup. This one came with 0:42 left on the clock as Rioux rumbled through the lane, snatched a sharp bounce feed from teammate CJ Ingram and put an exclamation point on the evening with both hands.
What made the play truly insane was how little effort he needed to get TO THE RIM. Rioux hardly left the floor, putting away with his aforementioned 9 foot-plus reach. Florida’s bench erupted in celebration, and the video of the play quickly went viral, gaining millions of views across social media platforms within hours.
Not Just a NumberThough the world is obsessed with numbers, Rioux’s trek has involved epic levels of discipline and adaptation. Guinness World Records originally honored him at age 15 when he was “only” 7 ft 5 in, but he hasn’t stopped growing yet, and surpassed the 7 ft 9 in mark earlier this year.
Being the world’s tallest teenager isn’t all smooth-sailing. From the custom beds and size 20 shoes to his constant physical aches and pains in joints, Rioux has had to work two times harder than his peers just to gain the stamina, and mobility it takes for elite level basketball. Coach Golden has admitted Rioux’s being a bit of a “project” due to his size that can’t be taught, but instead is focusing on helping him improve in two key areas — conditioning and defense — during his redshirt freshman campaign.
“Obviously, it’s his own special kind of challenge,” Golden said after the game. “When he goes outside, all the attention is on him. But on the court, we want him to be a basketball player ahead of being someone who breaks records.”
The Road to the NBA
The age-old question for fans and NBA scouts is whether Rioux can in turn become the next Gheorghe Mureșan or even Manute Bol as well by making to the NBA. He would be the tallest player to ever step on an NBA floor if he were drafted today.
For now, Rioux has been content to adapt — “gaytor-style — to the Florida Way of Life: Developing one’s game practice by practice while feeling the constant thumping of crowd support from the heavily partisan crowd above. It wasn’t just two points toward a score, it was a matter of the tallest teen on earth ready to play.
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